Job 22:30

Job 22:30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.

Ver. 30. He shall deliver the island of the innocent] Or, He shall deliver the not innocent; him that is not guiltless; and even such shall be delivered for the purity of thine hands. Thus God gave Zoar to Lot, and all the souls in the ship to Paul, and the guilty Israelites to Moses. See Jer 5:1. Or, The innocent shall deliver the island; or, Liberabitur vita innocentis, the innocent shall be freed from affliction: so Brentius.

And it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands] i.e. Of thy works, or by thy pure hands lifted up in prayer. Semen sanctum statumen terrae, the saints bear up the state, Isa 6:13, they uphold the pillars of the earth by their piety and prayers; and therefore when God is unchangeably resolved to ruin a people he silenceth his saints, as Jer 7:16, or removeth them out of the world, as he did Methuselah the year before the flood. And as one sinner may destroy much good, Ecc 9:18; so one praying saint may save an island, a whole country; it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands. It may be the work sticks at thee; why then is not thy shoulder at the wheel when the cart is stalled?

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He shall deliver the island of the innocent - Margin, “the innocent shall deliver the island.” Never was there a more unhappy translation than this; and it is quite clear that our translators had no intelligible idea of the meaning of the passage. What can be meant by “saving the island of the innocent?” The word rendered island (אי 'ı̂y) commonly means, indeed, an island, or a maritime country; see Isa 20:6, note. It is, however, used as a “negative” in 1Sa 4:21, in the name “I-chabod” - אי־כבוד 'ı̂y-kâbôd. “And she named the child I-chabod (margin, that is, “where is the glory?” or, there is “no glory”), saying, the glory is departed from Israel.” This sense is frequent in the Rabbinic Hebrew, where it is used as connected with an adjective in a privative sense, like the English “un.” It is probably an abbreviated form of (אין 'ayı̂n) “not, nothing;” and is used here as a “negative” to qualify the following word, “He shall deliver even him that is not innocent.”

So it is rendered by the Chaldee, by Le Clerc, Rosenmuller, Gesenius, Noyes, and others. The Vulgate and the Septuagint render it, “He shall deliver the innocent.” The sense is, that the man who returns to God, and who is regarded by him as his friend, will be able to intercede for the guilty, and to save them from the punishment which they deserved. His prayers and intercessions will be heard in their behalf, and on his account layouts will be shown to them, even when they did not personally deserve them. This sentiment accords with that expressed in Gen 18:26, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes;” Eze 14:14, “Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they should deliver but their own souls;” compare Eze 22:30; Jer 5:1. The sentiment, also, had a beautiful illustration, though one which Eliphaz did not here think of, in his own case and that of his friends, where this very Job, to whom he was giving this counsel, was directed to intercede for them; Job 42:7-8. The sentiment, indeed, is found every where in the Scriptures, that the righteous are permitted to pray for others, and that they are thus the means of bringing down important blessings on them. In answer to those prayers, multitudes are saved from calamity here, and will be brought to eternal life hereafter.

And it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands - Or, rather, he, i. e., the wicked, for whom you pray, will be delivered by the pureness of thine hands. That is, God will save him in answer to the prayers of a righteous man. Your upright and holy life; your pure hands stretched out in supplication, shall be the means of saving him. No one can tell how many blessings are conferred on wicked people because the righteous pray for them. No one can tell how many a wicked son is spared, and ultimately saved, in answer to the intercessions of a holy parent; nor can the wicked world yet know how much it owes its preservation, and the numberless blessings which it enjoys, to the intercessions of the saints. It is one of the innumerable blessings of being a child of God thus to be permitted to be the means of bringing down blessings on others, and saving sinners from ruin. All the friends of God may thus confer unspeakable benefits to others; and they who have “an interest at the throne of grace” should plead without ceasing for the salvation of guilty and dying people.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Job 22:30. He — Whose prerogative it is to give deliverances; shall deliver — Namely, upon thy request, as the following clause shows; the island of the innocent — Not only thyself, when thou shalt become innocent, or righteous, but, for thy sake, he will deliver the whole island, or country, in which thou dwellest: God will have so great a respect to thy innocence, that for thy sake he will deliver those that belong to thee, or live with thee, or near thee, though, in themselves, they be ripe for destruction. By the pureness of thy hands — By thy prayers, proceeding from a pure heart and conscience. So Eliphaz and his two friends, who, in this matter, were not innocent, were delivered by the pureness of Job’s hands, Job 42:8.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

God will deliver a whole country from peril, even for the just man’s sake.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

island--that is, "dwelling." But the Hebrew expresses the negative (Sa1 4:21); translate "Thus He (God) shall deliver him who was not guiltless," namely, one, who like Job himself on conversion shall be saved, but not because he was, as Job so constantly affirms of himself, guiltless, but because he humbles himself (Job 22:29); an oblique attack on Job, even to the last.

and it--Rather, "he (the one not heretofore guiltless) shall be delivered through the purity (acquired since conversion) of thy hands"; by thy intercession (as Gen 18:26, &c.). [MAURER]. The irony is strikingly exhibited in Eliphaz unconsciously uttering words which exactly answer to what happened at last: he and the other two were "delivered" by God accepting the intercession of Job for them (Job 42:7-8).

Next: Job Chapter 23

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 30. He shall deliver the island of the innocent] The word אי ai, which we translate island, is most probably the Arabic particle [Arabic] whosoever, whatsoever, any, whosoever he may be, as [Arabic] ai rajuli, whatsoever man he may be. And it is most probable that both words are Arabic, [Arabic] or [Arabic] any innocent, chaste, pure, or holy person; for the word has the same meaning both in Hebrew and Arabic. The text may therefore be translated, He shall deliver every innocent person: He, the innocent person, shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands; i.e., as thou lovest justice, so thou wilt do justice. Instead of כפיך cappeyca, thy hands, the Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic have read כפיו cappaiv, his or their hands. Mr. Good thinks that אי ai signifies house, as [Arabic] and [Arabic] in Arabic signify to reside, to have a home, c. and therefore translates the passage thus: "The house of the innocent shall be delivered; and delivered by the pureness of thy hands." The reader may adopt which he pleases; but the word island must be given up, as it cannot make any consistent sense.

THUS ends Eliphaz the Temanite, who began with a tissue of the bitterest charges, continued with the most cruel insinuations, and ended with common-place exhortations to repentance, and promises of secular blessings in consequence: and from his whole speech scarcely can one new or important maxim be derived. Blessed be God for Moses and the prophets! for Jesus, the evangelists and the apostles! Their trumpet gives no uncertain sound: but by that of Job's friends who can prepare himself for the battle?

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(30) He shall deliver the island of the innocent is undoubtedly an error for He shall deliver him that is not innocent: that is, either God shall deliver, or the humble person, if that is the subject of the former clause; the humble-minded man would have saved them. “He would have delivered him that is not innocent; yea, even so shall he be delivered by the cleanness of thy hands,” as the ten righteous would have saved Sodom. It is remarkable that this, which is the last word of Eliphaz, has in it the significance of a prophecy, for it is exactly thus that the history of Job closes; and Eliphaz himself exemplified his own promise in being indebted to Job for the act of intercession by which he was pardoned, together with his friends; Job_42:8-9.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

30. the island of the innocent] Rather, him that is not innocent. Even others who are blameworthy shall be saved through Job’s intercession, because of the cleanness of his hands, for the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The curious translation “island of the innocent” arose from confounding ’I, an unusual form of the privative particle “not,” with ’I, an island. This form of the privative appears occasionally in proper names as, I-chabod, “not glory” (inglorious). For and it is, better, yea, he shall be.

The charges of unrighteousness (Job_22:5-11) and ungodliness (Job_22:12-17), which Eliphaz allows himself to make against Job, furnish a singular illustration of the length to which good men will suffer their theoretical opinions in religion to carry them. His concluding words, however (Job_22:21-30), are conciliatory and humane, and not unworthy of the very aged and very devout speaker.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Innocent. Hebrew, "He shall deliver even the man who is not innocent, and that for the sake of the purity of thy hands." (Chaldean; Junius, &c.) --- God will even spare the guilty, to manifest the regard which he has for the intercession of the saints. These interpreters have taken ai in the same sense as ain, which is the case, 1 Kings iv. 21. (Calmet) --- Others explain, "He shall deliver the island of the innocent, and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands." (Protestants) This also would shew the merit and protection of the saints, as a whole island may owe its safety to one of God’s servants. In effect, the would stands by the prayers of the saints. (Haydock) --- All that has been said from ver. 21 tends to shew that God favours his friends; and, consequently, that he would never have punish Job, if he had not been guilty. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He, i.e. God, as Job 22:29, whose prerogative it is to give deliverances.

Shall deliver, to wit, upon thy request, as the following clause showeth: God will hear thy prayers even for others, which is a great honour and comfort; and much more for thyself.

The island of the innocent; not only thyself, when thou shalt become innocent and pure, but for thy sake he will deliver the whole island (or country, that word being oft used not only for such lands or countries as were separated from Canaan by the sea, as is commonly observed, but also for such as were upon the same continent with it, as appears from Gen 10:5; Psa 72:10; 97:1; Isa 41:5) in which thou dwellest. Or, the guilty, or him that is not innocent; for the word here rendered island is sometimes used for not, in Scripture, as 1Sa 4:21; Pro 31:4. So the sense is, God will have so great a respect to thy innocency and purity, that for thy sake he will deliver those that belong to thee, or live with thee, or near thee, though in themselves they be sinful creatures, and ripe for destruction. See Gen 18:32.

It is delivered, to wit, the island; or, he, i.e. the guilty person.

By the pureness of thine hands, i.e. by thy prayers proceeding from a pure heart and conscience. When thou shalt lift up pure hands to God in prayer, as it is expressed, 1Ti 2:8; whereby as he asserts the prevalency of the righteous man’s prayers with God for mercy, both for himself and others; and by this argument he persuadeth Job to repentance; so withal he allegeth this as an argument or evidence that Job did not stretch out pure hands to God in prayer, as he pretended, because his prayers could not prevail for the preservation of himself or his children, and much less for others at a greater distance.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

30. The island of — אי נקי, not guiltless. This Hebrew word i (not) our translators altogether mistook. Here it has a negative sense, as in I-chabod, no-glory. The verse should read —

He shall deliver him that is not guiltless,

And he shall be saved by the pureness of thy hands.

Our own purity of life under God becomes a powerful agency for the conversion of others. (Psa_51:13.) So little do we know of our spiritual needs, that we are quite as ready to exhort others as to care for ourselves. At the very moment that these words of noble counsel fell from his lips, Eliphaz needed the prayers of some upright man, which Job himself (Job_42:8) finally offered. The reader cannot but be touched with a feeling of regret as this high-minded son of Teman passes from the scene, commissioned as he was from God to deliver an exhortation that for beauty of sentiment, purity of thought, and depth of spiritual knowledge, is without compare in the Old Testament Scriptures. He stands forth the lofty peer of Balaam, free (the reader may trust) from his failing; — the only one of “THE THREE,” at all worthy to grapple with Job in the solution of the dark problem of evil. In argument, however, he lacked self-control, and allowed himself to follow his friends in vituperation and to surpass them in calumny. Eliphaz spoke of God “the thing that was not right,” by perverting the facts of human life, and by setting forth an imperfect retribution, as worthy of the righteousness of God.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He shall deliver the island of the innocent; rather, he shall deliver even him that is not innocent (see the Revised Version). It is now generally admitted that ya in this place is for ya, as in 1Sa_4:21 Pro_31:4. The meaning seems to be that God will deliver, at Job"s prayer, even guilty persons, who will be delivered by the pureness of Job"s hands. Eliphaz thus prophesies his own deliverance and that of his two friends from God"s wrath at the intercession of Job, as actually came to pass afterwards. (see Job_42:7-9)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He, &c. - God will have so great a respect to thy innocency, that for thy sake he will deliver those that belong to thee, or live with thee, or near thee, thought in themselves they be ripe for destruction. Their hands - By thy prayers proceeding from a pure heart and conscience. So Eliphaz and his two friends, who in this matter were not innocent, were delivered by the pureness of Job's hands, chap. xlii, 8.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

island

i.e. coast.

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He shall deliver one who is not innocent Heb. אי נקי, synonymous with אין נקִי, not innocent, like (I Sam. 4:21), “Ichabod (איכבוד),” meaning, there is no glory (אין כבוד). And so (Prov. 31:4), “neither is drunkenness for rulers (אי שכר),” there is no drunkenness (אין שכר). It does not befit them to become intoxicated. Menachem joined the three into one group (Machbereth Menachem p. 22). Although they are two words (?), they explain them thus. And that one who is not innocent will be delivered because of the purity of your hands. So I heard. I heard another version that was being said in the name of Rabbi Jacob: This is an expression of a man who lives in pain and sighing, and the “yud” is superfluous in the word, like (Ps. 123:1), “Who dwells (הישבי) in heaven.” But I did not hear this from the rabbi’s mouth.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.